A summary of the July 2000 Board of Trustees Meeting

COLLEGE PREP COURSES ALONE WILL NOW DETERMINE GPA

The Trustees approved a resolution that changes the courses which determine
students' grade point average and also redefines "first-time freshmen."
Currently, the GPA that determines CSU admission eligibility is based
on all courses completed in the final three years of high school. The
modification bases the GPA on only the 15 college preparatory courses
taken in the last three years of high school, which is a better indicator
of academic preparation. The Trustees modified the resolution to go into
effect for incoming freshmen in the fall of 2004, rather than 2003, to
give students additional time to become informed about the change.

"This has the potential to strengthen academic standards and college
preparation," said David Spence, executive vice chancellor and chief academic
officer.

This adjustment makes the admissions process less confusing to students
and high school counselors because it mirrors the methodology used to
determine GPA by the University of California. However, the CSU will continue
its mission of accepting the top third of high school graduates, although
the methodology that determines the top third may need to be altered,
as it is on a regular basis.

This is the latest in a series of revisions the CSU has proposed or implemented
to make the admissions process easier. In September, the Trustees approved
a resolution to alter CSU course admission requirements for first-time
freshmen and transfer students to coincide with UC requirements, making
the admission process less complicated.

To align their required preparatory courses, the CSU added an additional
year of laboratory science and an additional year of social science or
history to its requirements, and UC added the requirement for a college
preparatory course in visual and performing arts. The revisions will be
in effect for those students seeking admission to either system in the
fall 2003 and beyond.

As of the fall 2003, preparatory course admission requirements for both
systems will be: four years of English, three years of math (algebra,
geometry, and intermediate algebra), two years of social science, two
years of laboratory science, two years of foreign language, one year of
visual or performing arts, and one year of electives chosen from one of
the areas above.

"We're saying to students is that these are the courses that matter.
This is where you need to spend your time and concentrate your efforts,"
said Spence

Another part of the Trustee resolution includes a revision to the current
definition of a first- time freshman, which is any applicant who has not
attempted any college units. As a result of this definition some students
who have completed some college credits through programs such as Advanced
Placement are classified as lower level transfers -- the lowest CSU admission
priority. To prevent this, the resolution redefines a first-time freshman
as any applicant who has not attended any college since the summer immediately
after high school graduation.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENT LOWERED FROM 124 TO 120 UNITS

The Trustees approved lowering the CSU graduation requirement from 124
to 120 semester units. Both the CSU Cornerstones Implementation Plan,
a strategic plan for CSU's future, and the 1999/00 Governor's budget recommended
that the CSU shorten the time it takes a student to graduate.

"This revision will help students graduate sooner. The new requirements
are consistent with most universities in the nation and just make sense,"
said Chancellor Charles B. Reed. "This is one of many changes the CSU
has implemented recently to eliminate unnecessary hurdles for our students."

The 124-unit requirement in the CSU is linked to a four-unit physical
education activity requirement imposed in mid-century but which most CSU
campuses no longer embrace. Most campuses have now eliminated or reduced
any physical education unit requirement. It is particularly incongruent
to require 124 units at the CSU, when a normal course load of 15 units
per semester over four years would still leave a student four units short
of graduation.

Many majors - such as engineering and architecture - will still require
more than 120 units. However, this will allow unnecessary unit requirements
to be eliminated. Every CSU academic program is reviewed every five years,
and evaluating the number of the unit requirements while maintaining high
quality will become a part of the process.

"This is the easy part. It will be very challenging for faculty to reexamine
programs. There will be difficult choices. We already do a good job of
this. About two-thirds of our programs are at the minimum," said Spence.

Trustee Ralph Pesqueira said this policy would make it easier to graduate
in four years or even in three years if students attend year-round. However,
he and other Trustees cautioned that the CSU should be careful not to
focus too much on training for the work force to the detriment of educating
well-rounded citizens.

The University of California, the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges, and most universities across the nation use 120 units as a minimum
unit requirement for graduation.

The Trustees approved two proposals to improve the transfer and admissions
processes of teacher preparation programs.

Previously, only three semester units in teacher education could be transferred
from the community colleges to the CSU. Now, that limit will be raised
to six units.

"We will monitor this. The community colleges will be playing a bigger
role in teacher education. At some point, we may come back to the Board
and ask that this limit is increased again," said Spence.

The improvements set a common CSU admission standard for teacher education
programs on all the campuses. Previously, admissions standards for teacher
education programs varied by campus and by major, causing confusion and
difficulty in students' ability to transfer from one CSU campus to another.
This improvement is consistent with the California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing and will allow the top half of all CSU students to enter
teacher education programs, although additional criteria may be added
for certain kinds of programs.

Both items are consistent with "CSU's Commitment to Prepare High Quality
Teachers," and were developed in consulation with the CSU vice presidents
of academic affairs, the statewide Academic Senate, the Executive Council
and the CSU Deans of Education.

TRUSTEES RATIFY AGREEMENTS WITH EIGHT OF TEN UNITS

The Trustees Committee on Collective Bargaining ratified tentative agreements
for 2000/01 compensation with eight of its ten employee bargaining units.

"I would like to commend the union representatives for the spirit of
cooperation they provided throughout. They went about the negotiation
process in a very professional manner," said CSU Chancellor Charles B.
Reed.

The five unions, which together represent about 15,000 CSU employees,
are:

Union of American Physicians and Dentists, Unit 1, about 135 employees.

"This was one of the best rounds of negotiations that I have ever experienced,"
said Pauline Robinson, division director of the CSEA. "We strongly recommend
ratification [of the tentative agreement by CSEA members]."

The main features in the tentative agreements are average salary increases
of five or six percent, inclusion of merit pay as a significant part of
the total salary pool, additional market equity salary increases for some
classifications of employees and enhanced dental and insurance benefits
for CSEA employees.

"This is very encouraging. I see a silver lining growing brighter," said
Trustee Ralph Pesqueira, chair of the Committee on Collective Bargaining.
"The Trustees are committed to seeing that faculty and staff compensation
is at the highest possible level we can obtain from the state."

All the agreements have already been ratified by the unions' memberships
except the CSEA agreement, which is expected to be ratified next month.

"I believe that this round of bargaining reflected a true commitment
on the part of individuals on both sides of the bargaining tables to improving
the working situation in order to better serve the students of our campuses
and the citizens of the state," said Jackie McClain, CSU vice chancellor
for human resources.

The two unions yet to reach agreement are the Academic Professionals
of California and the California Faculty Association. The main issue in
both negotiations is merit pay. The faculty union is proposing that the
agreed upon merit pay program be discontinued, and the CSU is committed
to the program as an important way to reward outstanding faculty accomplishment.
For more information on the faculty merit program go to calstate.edu/tier2/News.shtml.

TRUSTEES CONSIDER PROPOSAL ON STOCKTON CENTER

The Trustees considered a proposal on the formation of a joint powers
authority with the City of Stockton to provide an appropriate governance
structure to oversee the development, operation, maintenance and financing
of the portion of the CSU Stanislaus Stockton Center not needed for educational
purposes. The proposal would allow the CSU to proceed with the development
of the center and is in response to recommendations contained the April
feasibility study for the development of the center.

The governing board of the Stockton Center Site Authority would be composed
of three members appointed by the CSU chancellor and three members of
the Stockton City Council appointed by the city.

The proposal will come back to the Trustees for a vote at the September
meeting.

TRUSTEES RECOGNIZE FIVE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS

Five recipients of the 2000 Hearst/CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding
Achievement were honored at the meeting. The recipients are:

Lisa J. Briscoe, Norwalk, a senior at CSU Fullerton

Mimi Black, Arcata, a senior at Humboldt State University

Lawrence Johnson, Ventura, a graduate student at CSU Northridge

Kari Lane, Davis, a graduate student at CSU Sacramento

William Vine, Los Angeles, a senior at CSU Los Angeles

The award provides scholarships to CSU students who demonstrate financial
need and show superior academic performance, community service, and personal
accomplishments. It was created in 1974 and was initially funded by the
Evelyn D. Armer Memorial Scholarship Trust. However, in 1997, that fund
was depleted, and a special fund was created to continue the awards through
donations initiated by CSU Trustee Ali Razi.

For a news release on the Trustee Scholars, go to calstate.edu/tier2/News.shtml.

THREE FACILITIES NAMED AT COACHELLA VALLEY CENTER

The Trustees approved the naming three facilities at the CSU San Bernardino
Coachella Valley Off-Campus Center, the permanent off-campus center in
Palm Desert:

A plaza in honor of R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard, whose foundation donated
$500,000 to the center.

The first permanent building in honor of Mary Stuart Rogers, whose
foundation made a lead gift of $3 million to the center's capital campaign.

The circular core campus road in honor of H.N. and Frances Berger,
whose foundation gave the center $4.5 million, the largest one-time
gift ever made by the foundation.

In Other Action
THE TRUSTEES APPROVED:

Revising the State University House Trust spending rules to reduce
the annual expenditure amount allowed and ensure that the purchasing
power of the trust is sustained in perpetuity.

Approving a final environmental impact report and the campus master
plan revision for Cal Poly Pomona.

Concurring with the findings in the final supplemental environmental
impact report and approving the initial campus physical master plan
for the development of CSU Channel Islands.

Recommending compensation for all CSU executives at an average six
percent increase based on merit.

Amending the Trustees' standing orders on fee policy to bring them
current with the fee policy adopted by the Trustees in March.

A revised schedule of Trustees' meetings.

Resolutions conferring Trustee Emeritus status on Joan Otomo-Corgel
and Michael Stennis and the title President Emeritus on Anthony Evans,
former president at CSU San Bernardino.

Approving a citation in appreciation of Louanne Kennedy, who has completed
her term of service as interim president at CSU Northridge.

Confirming the establishment of a new Trustee Ad Hoc Committee on
Academic Planning for New University Campuses and Satellite Centers
and its members: Trustees Campbell, Farar, Hauck, Myers, Pesqueira,
and Vitti.

THE TRUSTEES HEARD:

A status report on the 2000/01 support budget, which was signed by
the Governor on June 30.

A report on auxiliary organization tax-exempt financing by the Cal
Poly Pomona Foundation in an amount not to exceed $5.2 million for the
Center for Training, Technology and Incubation.

A report on auxiliary organization tax-exempt financing by San Diego
State not to exceed $26 million to acquire a 570-bed student housing
facility adjacent to campus.

A status report on the 2000/01 state funded capital outlay program.

A report on updating the CSU construction cost guidelines.

A draft of the capital outlay program for 2001/02 and five-year capital
improvement program 2001/02 through 2005/06, state and non-state funded.

A status report on current and follow-up internal audit assignments
and the quality assurance review of the Office of the University Auditor.